1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connection structure of a flat cable connected to a connector at an intermediate portion thereof, which is applied, for example, to an electrical connection of a flat cable laid in a roof of a vehicle to an auxiliary component.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a vehicle interior, sunvisors for a driver and a passenger seat occupant are provided above a front window. Some sorts of sunvisors are provided with vanity mirrors and/or illumination lamps for nighttime.
A sunvisor with a lamp is provided with a bracket at the distal end of a fixing shaft for fixing the sunvisor to the interior of a vehicle. A roof of a vehicle is provided with another bracket for connection with the bracket. The sunvisor is fixed to the roof by connecting the both brackets with each other.
A plurality of cables are laid in the roof to supply electric power for the brackets described above. The illumination lamp of the sunvisor is supplied with electric power from the cable via a connector provided with the bracket. In addition to the sunvisor, a plurality of auxiliary components which need electric power are equipped at the vehicle roof. Cables are laid and connected with the respective components.
Recent vehicles are provided with many auxiliary components which need electric supply so that a total weight and cost of cables reach a considerable level. Though a flat cable can be applied to save the weight, a flat cable is easy to be curved in a direction vertical to the flat surface thereof but is hardly curved in an in-plane direction. To change a direction of drawing the flat cable, there are no ways but multifolding it. So it is difficult to draw a flat cable to a plurality of connectors with accuracy.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connection structure of a flat cable to a connector which makes it possible that a plurality of connectors can be connected to a flat cable and the flat cable is easy to be drawn in any direction.
A connection structure according to the present invention comprises a connector housing integrally protruded from a base plate thereof, a plurality of terminals housed in the connector housing, a flat cable in contact with the terminals and a cover covering the connector housing and the flat cable. The connector housing comprises a first surface substantially parallel to the base plate and a pair of side surfaces on both sides of the first surface. Said each terminal comprises a press-fit contact at one end thereof and the press-fit contact is protruded from the first surface of the connector housing. The flat cable comprises a plurality of conductors each in contact with the respective press-fit contact. The cover is integrally connected with the connector housing by a hinge. There are provided a pair of slits between the cover and the base plate and the base plate further comprises a pair of grooves each communicating with the respective slit and having width broadened toward both ends of the base plate.
The flat cable is conducted from the one of the grooves into the connector housing and is drawn to the opposite groove. The flat cable is curved along the first surface and the side surfaces to be in contact with the press-fit contacts by the cover.
According to the constitution described above, the flat cable can be in contact with the connector not only at an end but also at a middle portion thereof. Such a connection structure is hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cthrough-connectionxe2x80x9d. In contrast with prior arts, a plurality of cables branching off to the respective connectors are not necessary so that the weight and the cost can be suppressed.
The flat cable is curved and fixed along the first surface and the pair of side surfaces of the protruded connector housing by the cover. The flat cable is fixed frictionally by the above structure so that the contacts with the press-fit contacts are hardly affected in a case where a tension is applied to the flat cable and the reliability is assured. The contacts are covered with the cover so that the contacts are prevented from being damaged when the connector is installed into a vehicle body.
The flat cable is laid in the grooves having width broadened toward both ends of the base plate so that a direction of drawing the flat cable from the slit can be modified within a range allowable by the width of the grooves. Thus the arrangement of the connectors is not limited as a row on a straight line. The connection structure allows changing a direction of drawing the flat cable in a time of installing so as to make an advance in a work efficiency. Further, the flat cable needs not to be folded many times to change the direction, thereby a damage of the flat cable from folding is prevented. The flat cable is further prevented from a damage in a case where the upper surface of the connector is stuck to the vehicle panel because the flat cable is laid in the grooves.
The cover is formed integrally with the connector housing so as to be prevented from being lost or missed to be fixed.